Le Futur Simple

Formation

The 'simple' future (le futur) is so-named because it is a one-word tense.

In other words, its formation is simple because there is no auxiliary.

The endings for the simple future are: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.

The future stem for -er and -ir verbs is the infinitive.

For regular -re verbs, the stem is the infinitive minus the final e.

nager  'to swim'

je nagerai                                                                            I will swim                         

tu nageras                                                                           you will swim   

il, elle / on nagera                                                            he, she (it) / one will swim          

nous nagerons                                                                  we will swim

vous nagerez                                                                     you will swim

ils / elles nageront                                                           they will swim

réfléchir  'to think'

je réfléchirai                                                                       I will think           

tu réfléchiras                                                                     you will think

il, elle / on réfléchira                                                       he, she (it) / one will think

nous réfléchirons                                                             we will think

vous réfléchirez                                                                you will think

ils / elles réfléchiront                                                      they will think

rendre  'to give back'

je rendrai                                                                            I will give back 

tu rendras                                                                           you will give back            

il, elle / on rendra, he, she (it) /                                                 one will give back            

nous rendrons                                                                  we will give back

vous rendrez                                                                     you will give back

ils / elles rendront                                                           they will give back

Many verbs which are irregular in the present tense have regular formations in the future. Such verbs include sortir (je sortirai), partir (je partirai), dormir (je dormirai), boire (je boirai), dire (je dirai), écrire (j'écrirai), lire (je lirai), mettre (je mettrai), prendre (je prendrai), and suivre (je suivrai).

Here are the most common verbs that have irregular future stems:

infinitive stem future translation aller ir- j'irai I will go courir courr- je courrai I will run devoir devr- je devrai I will be obliged to envoyer enverr- j'enverrai I will send faire fer- je ferai I will do falloir faudr- il faudra it will be necessary mourir mourr- je mourrai I will die obtenir obtiendr- j'obtiendrai I will obtain pleuvoir pleuvr- il pleuvra it will rain pouvoir pourr- je pourrai I will be able recevoir recevr- je recevrai I will receive savoir saur- je saurai I will know tenir tiendr- je tiendrai I will hold venir viendr- je viendrai I will come voir verr- je verrai I will see vouloir voudr- je voudrai I will want

future stems of verbs with spelling changes
Verbs with spelling changes like appeler, employer, and acheter add -r to the present tense je form to create their future stems:

present tense stem future translation j'appelle appeller- j'appellerai I will call j'emploie emploier- j'emploierai I will use j'achète achèter- j'achèterai I will buy

Other -er verbs verbs with spelling changes including préférer, manger, and commencer have regular future stems. 

Give the futur simple of the verb indicated in parentheses.

1.            Tex et Tammy ______ ensemble. (partir)

2.            Tammy ______ ses études. (finir)

3.            Tammy: J' ______ un livre. (écrire)

4.            Tammy: Je ______ les habitudes de Tex. (comprendre)

5.            Tammy: Tex et moi, nous ______ beaucoup. (voyager)

6.            Tex: Mes neveux, vous ______ la philosophie! (aimer)

7.            Tammy: Tex, tu ______ la table, n'est-ce pas? (mettre)

8.            Tammy ______ sans cesse. (chanter)

9.            Joe-Bob ______ des cours faciles. (suivre)

10.          Tex: Bette, est-ce que tu ______ Tammy? (respecter)

11.          Joe-Bob ______ pendant quatre jours. (dormir)

12.          Tammy et Bette ______ . (se téléphoner)